The Games To Begin For County Seniors

The Carbon County Senior Games begin at 10 a.m. today with golf competition.

About a dozen people will head to the Mahoning Valley Golf Course in search of the competition's first gold medals.

"We're going to have a lot of fun," said Victor Pituch, the games' organizer.

People 60 or older can participate in the third annual games.

"We anticipate well over 100 people, said Pituch, adding that people can still sign up by calling the Carbon County Office on Aging at (800) 441-1315.

"A lot of them go in for pride," Pituch said. "Some go in for the camaraderie."

Tennis is scheduled for Thursday. There will be bowling and pool Monday.

The games get in full swing on 8:30 a.m. June 23 with ceremonies at the tomb of the great Olympian Jim Thorpe.

Former Jim Thorpe Postmasters Ron Esrang and Gerald Haggerty will light the torch and hand it to Jim Thorpe Postmaster Judy Lesch. The 20-minute program will be attended by Jim Thorpe Borough Council President Michael Sofranko and the Carbon County commissioners.

"That will be quite impressive," Pituch said.

Postal workers, led by the Jim Thorpe American Legion Color Guard, will carry the torch to the Jim Thorpe High School. A representative of each team will follow the parade.

Once at the school, each team, wearing different colored T-shirts to designate their communities, will parade in the gymnasium. County commissioners will give remarks. A basketball shoot, shuffleboard, horseshoes and ping pong will follow.

On June 24, the games will be held outside. A 100-yard dash, softball throw, one-mile walk, bean-bag toss, and bocci are scheduled. For the dash and walk, participants are split in five age groups.

The games close June 25 with darts, pinochle, checkers, bingo, polkas, two-step dancing and the jitterbug.